Experiences of friendships among autistic children in UK schools: A qualitative meta-synthesis

Friendships can be difficult for autistic children; therefore, understanding their experiences is necessary to support successful and meaningful friendship development. This systematic review aims to synthesise qualitative findings on how autistic children experience friendships. Searches identified six studies exploring the friendship experiences of autistic children in UK primary school settings and their results were synthesised using thematic synthesis. Findings highlight the common and unique experiences of friendship among autistic children. Autistic children reported having a desire for friendships, with many particularly valuing shared interests and companionship, and it was evident that autistic children can and do make and maintain successful friendships. Autistic children across all settings spoke of what they believed friendship to be, and their understanding of friendship differed from that of key adults, highlighting the importance of including autistic children themselves in the design and implementation of social support interventions. Autistic children in special schools appeared to face fewer challenges than peers in mainstream education. We also noted a clear want for more training and education on neurodiversity to increase understanding of the needs and wants of autistic children across all school settings.